Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-29

serially in the Century Magazine, and now |
that he has it farenOugh advanced to sup |
ply the printers for six months to come, !
he is determined to take vacation. Be
fore ne left the national capital | called |
upon him at his beautiful home on La /
favette square, and had a pleasant chat on
his works and himself.
The Washington residence of Colonel
Hay is ra her peculiar in design. In
truth It might be called ObtrusiVely con-
spicuous. The passer-by is very apt to
stop and look at it a second time, ana MS
comments are not always complimentary.
Competent critics, however, assert that
it is one of the best examples of its kind
10 be found in America, and, perhaps, 1t
is best TO agree with the critics some
times. But, however various the opln-
ions about the building may be all will
agree that the location is all that the
most fastidiC Us could wish. The house
stands just across the street from
beautiful Lafayette square which
is now fast putting on the bright
green robe of spring. Through
the branches of the trees about the best
view obtainable of the White House is to
be had, and on either side the stone and
marble colonades of the Treasury and the
| State, War and Navy departments CLEAN
! in the sunlight A hundred feet from the
| Hev mansion the philsnthrOpist, W. W.
! Corcoran, resides, and square further up
! II street is the comfortable home Of the
venerable historian, George Bancroft.
| Coming back down the street and passing
! the Hay residence we may see the home
| of Senator Don Cameron, the old homes
| of James 6 Blaine, Hamilton Fish, Fer
nandO Wood and dozen other celebrities.
! But why need we view eXJerlors, no
matter how Interesting, when welcome
door stands open and q hOspitable host
| aWaits US. So we retraCe our steps and
passing under the bread arch to the VestI7
! bule we press the electric bell and sOon
stand in the wide, COmmOGious hail. LII
| is in itself one of the most beautiful in
teriOrs st the capital. The broad stair
way with it's carved balustrede, the rich
brussels carpets and the valuable oriental
russ in which the foot sinks to the ankle,
all do their part toward making up q
beautiful effect. The hall is flushed In
light mahogany, the walls and ceilings
being laid off in little blocks. This wood
is very rare IN this country, coming from
the interior of South America. 1t has to
be carried for miles across a wild, unset
tied country, which adds much to the cost
of procuring it.
To the right is the library. The trim
maid servant pulls back me richly EN-
broidered portieres and l enter the large
weIl-lighted room. 1t is by far the larg-
est apartment in the house, though none
OF them are small. 1t extends nearly the
full length of the house. Colonel Hsy
saws he believes in using the best rooms
of the house for living purposes end not
keep them shut up except when there are
! visitors. SO it is that the library and
> workshop is also the sitting room, and
, as the colonel works at his desk his
children are often at play about him
and their merry laughter keeps time witt
: their fathers swift gliding pen. The
, room is one to feast the eyes upon. Essy
; chairs, luxurious lounges, lazy settees
, little hooks and crannies, low bookcase:
+ surmOunted with busts and filled with me
= choicest editions of the classics, valuab Ole
{ lars, unique vases and bric-a-brac from
: every land under the sun are all about
. The walls are hung with costly paintings
q exclusively in Gil. The most valuable i:
a a magnificent Mater Dolorso, over two
centuries old, which occupies the place
2 of honor.
At the end of the room, furthest from
o the door, Is Colonel Hays desk. AS
= enter the door he rises to greet me anC
. with q warm grasp of tue hand bids me
: be seated. On the whole progressing
gentleman, but you would not think
! him the possessor of 100000. A form
9 slender and small, quick, nervous move
= ments, q full beard parted in the
> middle, ant bright brown eyes tina
> look earnes silly at you through steel
= trimmed glasses. This is the ensemble o
the man who is now writing the life 0
! Lincoln which is being read by every
= body. And his is the ideal place in W hicl
r to write of the great war President
From the desk where he writes can b.
n seen the White House, where he liVeC
o with Lincoln so many years, and 81
4 around his nome are locations and build
= ipgs that hold stirring memories Of thest
# days of civil war.
n Hay works methodically on his book
\ though he does not give many hours ada
q to the real desk work. Rising in tn
Il morning at O'Clock he is at his desk oy )
= He works on until u, and sometimes
n though rarely, in the afternoon and even
n ing. Ii is now nearly quarter OF a cen
q tury since John G. Nicolay and jon
a Hay commenced work on their Lille Q
ia Lincoln" They determined upon
q. in the first year OF the war an
# not after the Presidents death, 8
: many newspapers enormously stated
Colonel Hay has in his possession man
interesting relics of the days Of Abraham
Lincoln. One of the most valuable of thes
is the manuscript copy of the President
.. second and most important inaugurt
~ address, also the printed copy which b
. read from the steps of the Capitol. Tn
s. proof slip used by tie President is CO
IL rected in number of places. 1 essSl
It Iaily noticed one correction. Speakln
IN lsjf the southern states he first wrote 9Th
K ;outhern half of the Union" Ia tn
printed copy he made it " the Souther